CMU senior and Stoney Creek alum, Eric Fisher, on the verge of NFL career

There is the old saying in athletics that someone is "a big fish in a small pond."

Central Michigan left tackle Eric Fisher has went from being the big fish in the small pond to one of the biggest fish in the ocean that is college football.

The 6-foot-8, 305-pound senior from Stoney Creek High School has established himself as one of the top tackles in the nation and is quickly climbing up 2013 NFL Draft boards.

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Fisher ends his college career Wednesday night in the 2012 Little Caesers Pizza Bowl when Central Michigan faces Western Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. from Ford Field.

"I remember being a freshman and looking at the seniors and wondering what it would be like to be them, and now I am a senior playing in his last game," Fisher said. "It's been an incredible ride at CMU and I am just grateful I got the opportunity to play college football, because not many people get to do that. I have tried to make the most of this opportunity and create opportunities from it. I look forward to the work that is ahead and doing what is best for my future."

As Fisher ends his time as a Chippewa, here is a look at the road he took to get to tonight's game.

High School

Fisher has always been a big kid, but the potential of becoming an NFL-caliber tackle didn't show early on.

As a freshman at Stoney Creek, the athletic Fisher actually played quarterback and defensive end. In his first year of varsity play, as a sophomore, Fisher played the hybrid position of defensive end/linebacker in a 3-4 defense.

It wasn't until his junior season that he would take his first snaps as an offensive tackle.

"My high school coach came to me and told me I could have a chance at playing college football if I moved to offensive tackle," Fisher said. "I wasn't too excited at first, but I made the move and it was obviously the right choice."

Despite being reluctant to change positions, Fisher wasn't going to let it show on the field or in practice.

"When I made the change, I committed to the idea and I decided to put 100 percent into it," Fisher said. "I knew it was where I belonged after a short period of time. It was really my true calling. Looking back, I really wouldn't change a thing. It is a thankless job (playing offensive line). Not many people hear about us. We kind of keep our mouths shut and do the work for the skill-position guys."

Though offensive lineman may not get much notice, Fisher was. He worked his way to All-State accolades as a senior and was even named to the Oakland Press Dream Team in 2008.

Those accolades, and his continued development as a tackle earned him a scholarship to Central Michigan.

Arriving at CMU

Somehow Fisher found a way to be undersized when he arrived at Central Michigan for his freshman season in 2009.

Cleary his height was his biggest asset, but Fisher weighed just 242 pounds at the time, well under what the coaching staff wanted in an ideal tackle with his length.

Fisher was challenged in many ways in his first training camp. Along with learning a complex playbook and catching up to the speed of the college game, Fisher was also responsible for putting on a lot of weight in a short amount of time.

To some, that might sound like a dream, but for an active athlete of Fisher's size, adding weight and keeping it on is no small task.

"It is really challenging for someone of my height," Fisher said of keeping weight on. "You just have to keep eating and really eat every chance you get. The workouts are huge too, and you try to match the workouts with eating about 5,000 calories a day. That is something that just comes with the territory of being an offensive lineman."

Sandwiches and Muscle Milk were a constant for Fisher in his first camp and he was able to pack on an impressive 25 pounds by the time the regular season started.

His talent on the field was visible early as well. Fisher was immediately placed as a backup tackle despite being a true freshman. With his added size, then-head coach Butch Jones felt comfortable having Fisher contribute.

"The first time I had any kind of hope to play is when I got that first 25 pounds on," Fisher said. "Adding size was really important to the coaches and luckily I was able to do that somewhat quickly and I got an opportunity to play and I even started some of the games at the end of the season."

As the season progressed, the Chippewas had injuries to the offensive line, which allowed Fisher the opportunity to step in and contribute to a team that finished 12-2 and was ranked in the final AP Top 25 poll.

Fisher made two starts at left tackle that season, being responsible for protecting the blind side of the Chippewas' biggest weapon, Dan LeFevour.

"We had a great season that year. What an opportunity it was to play with guys like Dan LeFevour and Antonio Brown and Frank Zombo and Nick Bellore," Fisher said. "Learning from those guys was amazing. They really showed me the right way to go about my business in the program. I couldn't have asked for a better group of leaders and mentors than I had as a freshman."

Transition

Following the 2009 season, Butch Jones left Central Michigan to take over the head coaching position at Cincinnati.

The Chippewas hired Michigan State assistant Dan Enos to take over the program.

The coaching change meant plenty of changes to the program, including a new offensive scheme for Fisher to learn.

"The offense changed a little bit. We went from a spread offense to an under-center offense and ran more of a power formation. I came in as a freshman and learned one offense, and then six months later I was learning a completely different offense," Fisher said. "It was challenging at the time, but I think it just broadened my football knowledge, which has helped me out in the long run."

Coming off an impressive freshman season, Fisher was relied on heavily by Enos and the new coaching staff as a sophomore. The coaches viewed him as a versatile lineman, starting him at right tackle, left tackle and right guard throughout the season.

"Every position I have had a chance to play, I learned something new," Fisher said. "That was a great learning experience for me and has helped make me a better all-around player."

Though the Chippewas didn't have a successful season in 2010 (3-9), Fisher solidified himself as a leader on the field and earned the starting left tackle position for his junior year in 2011.

The 2011 season was also a struggle for CMU as a team, going 3-9 for the second consecutive year. Fisher started the first 10 games at left tackle before going down with an injury that forced him to miss the final two games of the season.

Fisher earned third team All-Mid-American Conference honors last season, as he was part of an offensive line that allowed just 17 sacks on the year.

Senior season

Coming into the 2012 season, the buzz on Fisher really started to pick up.

Fisher built on that buzz by helping the Chippewas get back to a bowl game with a 6-6 season.

"Parts of the season didn't go as planned, but every week we tried to make the most of the situation," Fisher said of this season. "Luckily, we got into the bowl game. It was a tight race to get it. A few things had to happen for us, and thankfully, they all did. We are very glad to be in this game."

Fisher started all 12 games at left tackle and led the offensive line for CMU, which allowed just 14 sacks on the season. Fisher and the line also blocked for running back Zurlon Tipton, who rushed for 1,391 yards and 19 touchdowns this season.

In the end, Fisher garnered first team All-MAC and third team AP All-America honors. He was the first Chippewa to earn AP All-America honors since 1994.

Now, Fisher looks to add a second bowl victory to his college resume as he gets to close his college career not far from where he played high school football.

"It should be a great experience," Fisher said of ending his CMU career near his hometown of Rochester. "We should have a great crowd there supporting us. Along with me, we have a lot of guys from the Detroit area and we are all looking forward to playing in front of our friends, family and fans."

NFL future

What started as a possibility for Fisher has now become an expectation.

The question is no longer if Fisher will get drafted, it is now a matter of what round and what pick.

"It's always been my dream to be in the NFL. That started when I was in high school," Fisher said. "Once I got the real feeling that I could be an NFL player someday, I took it and ran with it. I have been working every day to achieve that goal. I am not looking back. I am going to keep working to achieve that goal. I just need to keep performing and keep working."

Now weighing at 306 pounds, Fisher is a full-size tackle that has the footwork and athleticism to be a starter in the NFL.

Just a few weeks ago, ESPN draft guru, Todd McShay, listed Fisher as the 16th overall pick in his first 2013 mock draft.

If those projections hold up, Fisher would become the highest draft pick ever to come out of Central Michigan.

Joe Staley, who is the starting left tackle for the San Francisco 49ers, is currently the only Chippewa to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. He was selected 28th in the 2007 draft by the 49ers.

Despite the opportunity of a lifetime right in front of him, Fisher is trying to focus on just one thing, and that is finishing his college career on a high note.

"I have to finish college before I can really think too much about (my future and the NFL)," Fisher said. "It does get hard to not think about it at times. It has been nice to hear some of the things that are being said about me and where I might get drafted, but if I am not performing well on the field right now, I won't be playing in the NFL. I just need to stay focus on my college career and this one last game."